New Horror Releases: Get My Gun (2017) - Reviewed

The female vengeance sub-genre gets a cold kick to the face with Brian Darwas' new independent feature, Get My Gun. Spinning old school exploitation themes into a fiery ninety minutes of realistic intensity and pain, his low budget movie furthers the theory that horror is back with grit, reality, and terrifying characters that never relent in their psychosis. Using a slow burn that allows his viewership to sympathize with his main character's awful predicament, Get My Gun tows the line between retro cinema and the new tribute type flicks that have been making their rounds the past couple years. Darwas' film definitely visits some themes of I Spit On Your Grave or Ms. 45, but creates a fresh new feminine protagonist that's ready to take her brutal revenge.

Say your prayers. I'm a nun with a gun.

Premiering at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival over the last weekend, Get My Gun is getting good reviews across the board. Although there are a few small issues with the editing here, his project is a positive effort that uses all his resources to their full extent. Using a color palette that calls back to the onscreen tales of the '70s and an off the rocker baddie that's undeniably hard to watch, the movie is a sampling platter of what can be done with a little bit of heart and a lot of dedication. This survivalist thriller exists in our world. Each little bit of what unfolds could actually happen and much of it probably has. In a world where women are sexually assaulted on a regular basis, Darwas flips the victim card over, showing us the evolution of a woman that's done taking abuse. Resting mostly on the shoulders of actress Kate Hoffman, Get My Gun feels natural and never melodramatic. Hoffman captures the essence of a woman in trouble by playing her role with emotion that's topped by her total control of character. Rosanne Rubino play her evil counterpart by emitting a performance that never plays it safe. She's off putting, irritating and manipulative. These three things blended with a calculated evil makes her one of the best baddies of 2017. Support actress Christy Casey helps carry the weight of an enormously depressing saga of desperation lined with human carnage. As a first time out as a feature length horror director, Darwas hits on many high points which will help him evolve as a creative force. Again, there are a few things that could have been tightened up in the editing process, but that's to be expected. Get My Gun has a great old school synth score that assists in creating that certain vibe. Across the board, this is a solid revenge piece that deserves this positive review. Some of the violence is over the top, so be wary. However, if you're a fan of women taking charge and subduing their aggressors, check this one out. Score